Artwork preview

Gate of the Shimbara

Utagawa Hiroshige

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Colorful woodblock print of a scene set in a Japanese town. The scene depicts a group of people in traditional clothing outside a gate. The gate has two large pillars and an open gate. The people are on a green area of grass in the foreground. They wear blue, red, orange, and yellow clothing. Two women in the center-right wear large yellow and orange kimonos. Behind the gate and people are Japanese-style buildings with dark roofs. There are trees, one large and bare on the right. In the background are mountains and a blue and white sky with a crescent moon. Japanese characters are written vertically on the left side. A red rectangular stamp is below the characters. A beige border surrounds the image.

Artwork details

Date:
1797–1858
Medium:
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Culture:
Japan
Dimensions:
599 × 398 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette